Are You Ready
by Rath101
Summary: I thought you'd never come this far. I thought your words meant something more. Said my two cents now. It's your turn. So stand up and scream. Are you ready?


**Disclaimer: I do not own the Final Fantasy series of the song**

**Are You Ready - Three Days Grace**

_I thought you'd never come this far_

_I thought your words meant something more_

_Said my two cents now_

_It's your turn_

_So stand up and scream_

_Are you ready?_

I don't know how our relationship started. It's strange. I don't know what sort of relationship it would be categorised in. Acquaintances didn't sound right because it was simply not enough. Friends made my heart ache and demand that our relationship to be something more. Lovers was something my heart screamed in joyful agreement but my head refused to believe. Our relationship was strange.

At least it was to me.

The first time I looked at him was scanning the crowd of Yunie's guardians. I disregarded him completely, my goal being Yuna and Tidus. When I was to prove myself it him that I was worthy that's when I really saw him for the first time. I only glanced at him but it was enough for my heart to flutter and turn my stomach into tight knots. I had never felt such a reaction to someone before in my entire existence. I felt proud and relieved that he had accepted me as Yuna's guardian. It confused me, so I ignored it.

Then we had our first conversation.

Yuna and Tidus had disappeared and didn't seem to be returning anytime soon. Wakka and Kimahri had volunteered to collect firewood for the night and Lulu had left to practice her magic spells. So it was just me and Auron that remained. He was sharpening his Katakana and I simply sat next to him, leaning against a tree truck and got lost in my thoughts. The silence was comfortable around Auron, and I didn't have to always struggle to keep conversation going.

Suddenly, a small and week fiend attacked us. Auron, always at the ready, was already in a fighting stance and fending off the fiend before I had even noticed what had happened. Quickly drawing my blades, I charged for the feline fiend. I slashed it's front leg and it hissed in pain but quickly raised it's other and slashed me across the arm, flinging me into a tree branch. I heard a yelp of pain and as I looked towards it, I saw it fall to the floor - dead.

I quickly climbed down from the tree, mindful of my torn arm all the way. When I finally reached the steady ground I fell to my knees and clutched my arm in pain. I heard Auron approach me and he surveyed my arm. I looked down at it and blanched at the blood that was oozing out of it. It wasn't deep enough to server anything, but enough to bleed badly. Auron took a potion out of his pocket, dabbing a handkerchief in it and gently washed it into the wound, ignoring the hissing sounds I made because of the stinging pain it brought. Soon, the pain subsided and I smiled appreciatively at Auron who only nodded in return.

Not exactly a conversation, but it was a lot more then what most people got out of him.

Soon, whenever we were alone, conversation started building up. A few nods turned into a few grunts. Grunts turned into one word replies. One word replies turned to short answers which eventually turned to full sentences of easy conversation. I quickly began to look up to him. I admired the way he always kept his cool in even the most server of situations. How he was firm but at the same time gentle and not harsh. Everyone looked to him for guidance, like he was our leader or even a father figure.

I was disgusted with the very thought.

I have a father and he most certainly didn't make me feel the same way Auron did. I hated it when I said something to annoy Auron when I would go out of my way to annoy my father. I would always keep an eye on Auron in battle in case he needed any help from me where I would let my father fend for himself until he specifically asked for help.

Auron was in no way my father figure.

Wakka said a comment about me being Al Bhed. It wasn't unusual of cause, but it was so offensive it took all self control to not cry. _Heathen _- He had said. I knew I was, I had been called it multiple times… But not by people I cared about. I turned around and walked away saying 'Sticks and stones' even though I felt like I'd been run through with one of my own daggers. It was surprisingly Auron that asked if I was okay. I turned around and smiled at him saying that I was fine and not to worry. He only stared for a moment before he responded.

"If you want to say something, say it. Don't bottle it up. It doesn't matter how you say it. Just don't sit down and stay silent. Stand up and scream, be violent if you will but don't stay huddled in a shell."

His words had confused me greatly. He told me to talk to him, that he'd listen. I talked to him about everything I had gone through. My emotions and feelings, the entire time with him staying silent. He never uttered a word until the very end. All he said was, _good_. Again, I was confused.

Then that one time happened where I failed to protect Yuna on the sidelines. I was slapped away by a beast and rendered unconscious, being unable to stay awake even when I heard her scream of pain. I was awoken hours later by Wakka screaming about having a useless Al Bhed girl protecting Yuna. How I had failed at doing so. It was hard enough knowing I had failed Yunie, but it was worse since my relationship with Wakka only ricocheted at that point. I fled from the camp feeling weak and defeated. Auron followed me and we simply stood there.

"I'm a horrible guardian." I had said.

I saw what I could only assume was a smile grace his features. "If I had even the slightest inclination that you are an inadequate guardian, you wouldn't still be here. Your still here, aren't you? So, that means you're a good guardian."

I smiled. "Thanks Auron, I think you're the only one that believes that."

"I believe in you, Rikku. Isn't that good enough?"

We became close after that, well, I like to think we did. So when he told me about being an unsent at the same time as the others I was naturally mad. I felt betrayed. Of cause, I had suspected that something was strange about the seemingly invincible man, but I had never even considered the possibility of him being an unsent. I remember asking him why he didn't trust me enough to tell me. He only turned his face away. That was painful.

Because we're back to square one.

Our final night before the final battle with Sin, I snuck out in the middle of the night, desperate to think of ways to save Yuna… And to sort tout my feeling about Auron and see if I could tell him anything or not. I hadn't realised how far I had gone or that someone was following me, so naturally when thinking of such vital emotional things I broke down into sobs. Being in a vulnerable and unhappy state was never a priority of mine. In fact, I went out of my way to avoid it. So, when I felt Auron's arms around me I instantly fought back. It was like fighting a brick wall and I ultimately failed. Soon, I was sobbing against his chest and letting all my cramped up emotions run wild.

Eventually, I was hiccupping and I forcefully separated myself from him, not wanting to be near someone who betrayed me. He allowed it but didn't leave.

Soon, anger, an unfamiliar yet powerful emotion overran me. "Why didn't you tell me?" I screamed at him.

He turned around and refused to face me, not giving any indication that he was willing to answer.

"Why?" I repeated. Again I was without a response. "You said you believed in me, Auron! Doesn't that mean that you have faith in someone? That you trust them? Why couldn't you trust me with something so important?" I screamed, anger and adrenaline over riding my clear state of mind.

It seemed like forever before he responded. "I just wanted a little more time."

"For what?" I asked still angry but curious.

He sighed and turned back to me. "It doesn't matter."

I screamed loudly in frustration and ran towards him and spun him around with so much strength, I saw a wave of shock cross even through his eyes. "Tell me!" he stubbornly shock his head. I slapped him across the face, sending a loud '_Clap_' sound throughout the abandoned area. His shocked face was almost comical if I wasn't so infuriated.

"Wasn't it you who told me to speak up? To stand up and scream? To say what I needed to say? Now it's your turn! Tell me!" I started to beg, my voice starting to break with raw emotion.

He shut his eye and sighed. "I wanted more time because I though that if you knew you'd act differently."

We're making progress.

"Why did that scare you?" I asked, he send me a glare from using _him _and _scare _in the same sentence but continued anyway.

"I didn't want things uncomfortable between us, Rikku. you were the only one to accept me. Not as _Sir _Auron the guardian but _Auron _the person. I didn't think you'd still be so accepting if you had learned the truth."

By this point all my anger was gone and was replaced with another emotion that was unfamiliar to me.

"You say I accept you. Which is totally true. There more then that though, I can tell."

He smirked. "Your too observant for your own good, Rikku."

I smiled brightly and approached him, taking his right hand in both of mine and rubbing it gently. "I know."

I looked up to tell him that we should probably head back to the campsite but the second I locked into his deep brown eye I felt I could move from my spot and by his stillness I knew he felt the exact same way. I moved my hands from his and they automatically wound around his neck as his wrapped around my waist. As if by some magnetic force, our lips drew together and met in a sweet, soft and short kiss.

I smiled widely and leaned in for another one which he responded to eagerly. We pulled apart and I whisper softly in his ear. "E muja oui." He smiled against my ear.

"E muja oui, bnehlacc." He whispered back to me in Al Bhed.

I gasped slightly when I heard him speak Al Bhed but smiled when the meaning clicked in my head. I clutched onto him tighter and had no intention of ever letting go.

I don't think he did either.


End file.
